Seems to me you should have to have a number of posts, to start a thread...

Of course my reasoning might be unstable

I see lots of discussions started by someone, who's only post is that one (for example "Is a 32' Sailboat Over-sized for a Beginner?") Maybe they read and take in the advice, but I wonder if they ask the question... read one or two responses and move on...

Or worse, the ask the question, and move on because they are no longer interested.... On the plus it still might be a good discussion... but it seems troublesome to me that you never know if they original poster benefited from the thread..

Seems to me you should have to have a number of posts, to start a thread...

....

Starting a thread and then not coming back (how do we really know?) is the least of the moderator's problems. I don't see it as a problem at all except for the time it wastes for some people to offer advice and suggestions that they don't know is received. Perhaps someone else down the road will benefit from the replies.

Perhaps they just want information without engaging in a debate about what they did (or didn't do).

Perhaps they forgot they posted here at all. I sometimes see the same people post the exact same question in multiple sailing forums.

I spend more time moving threads out of the wrong forum than I do worrying about drive-by posters (unless it's spam).

Starting a thread and then not coming back (how do we really know?) is the least of the moderator's problems. I don't see it as a problem at all except for the time it wastes for some people to offer advice and suggestions that they don't know is received. Perhaps someone else down the road will benefit from the replies.

Perhaps they just want information without engaging in a debate about what they did (or didn't do).

Perhaps they forgot they posted here at all. I sometimes see the same people post the exact same question in multiple sailing forums.

I spend more time moving threads out of the wrong forum than I do worrying about drive-by posters (unless it's spam).

Not sure how this is or isn't a problem for the moderators ...

I don't see this as something moderators would even have to deal with. i was thinking it would be like pictures.. something you can't do, until you have 10 posts. A setting that you gain that ability after you have participated for a while.

I wouldn't want it to be work for anyone.

Also, the troublesome for me is not the people who start a thread and have five posts to their profile because they started it in five different thread. But the people who post one and only one thread... and likely never come back to Sailnet... and it would ease up work for moderators who have to move a thread because a person makes his/her one post, that is the same as another one and should be combined.

Or from a poster who posts a thread to sell something or spam the site.

I would think in the end it would make for less work for the moderators... but as a suggestion, it isn't why I mention it.

I also think that a lot of those who start a thread and that is their only post are people who haven't logged in since they posted that first post. Sure they may be following it, but they aren't responding to questions that are posted in the thread or via a personal message.

I also see people who want to post a question getting frustrated by not being able to start a thread so they stick their question anywhere because all they can do is reply in an existing thread. Then it has to be moved out into its own thread. And getting frustrated because they can't start a thread and PMing the moderators.

When I mentioned "multiple sailing forums" I meant SailNet, Cruisers Forum, Sailing Anarchy, etc. I didn't mean forums just within SailNet. Sorry. I was't clear. I sometimes see the same people cut and paste their same question in them all.

If they only have one post (I think it's less than 15) they can't receive or send a PM unless it is to or from a moderator.

I also see people who want to post a question getting frustrated by not being able to start a thread so they stick their question anywhere because all they can do is reply in an existing thread. Then it has to be moved out into its own thread. And getting frustrated because they can't start a thread and PMing the moderators.

When I mentioned "multiple sailing forums" I meant SailNet, Cruisers Forum, Sailing Anarchy, etc. I didn't mean forums just within SailNet. Sorry. I was't clear. I sometimes see the same people cut and paste their same question in them all.

If they only have one post (I think it's less than 15) they can't receive or send a PM unless it is to or from a moderator.

That might be where we have an 'educational moment'

Have people who might not be moderators...but mentors. to help those folks

However, I would bet that a lot of people don't just post their question anywhere, but actually search out a thread that is relevant to his or her question.

The multitude of forums seems to be a reason to start his or her one and done threads in fewer forums..

EDIT: Btw, I do see the irony here that I started a thread... when there actually is a suggestion thread.. and I apologize for that

...
Have people who might not be moderators...but mentors. to help those folks
...

I see that frequently. I think I can speak for all of the mods when I say that we value the members who take the time to help other members with not just sailing stuff but also how to navigate the forum. It means that they care enough about the environment here to help it remain a comfortable place to return to again and again. Offline friendships have been made here and that's good.

I don't see this as something moderators would even have to deal with. i was thinking it would be like pictures.. something you can't do, until you have 10 posts. A setting that you gain that ability after you have participated for a while.

I wouldn't want it to be work for anyone.

Also, the troublesome for me is not the people who start a thread and have five posts to their profile because they started it in five different thread. But the people who post one and only one thread... and likely never come back to Sailnet... and it would ease up work for moderators who have to move a thread because a person makes his/her one post, that is the same as another one and should be combined.

Or from a poster who posts a thread to sell something or spam the site.

I would think in the end it would make for less work for the moderators... but as a suggestion, it isn't why I mention it.

I also think that a lot of those who start a thread and that is their only post are people who haven't logged in since they posted that first post. Sure they may be following it, but they aren't responding to questions that are posted in the thread or via a personal message.

I'm not saying that your idea is without merit but we get enough grief over the restrictions on links and images by new users as it is.

Improving the search function may help. See a lot of the same questions/issues being raised, without being able to search for the topic it's just too easy to start a new thread.

I also would like to see a better search function, but I also think more of a search function needs to start between the ears. I'm not convinced that the majority of people even TRY a search before posting a question because, you know, each one is the first to ever think of that question or their situation must be unique. Or they just don't think of searching first.

From my perspective, this is a place where my head gets into the game, when the rest of me isn't. I'm sure none of us are posting, while at the helm. Whatever starts the discussion, whatever the topic, however many times it's been asked before, it all accomplishes the same thing. A discussion, an opportunity for your mind to drift into the sport. If that's all that happens, it makes no difference to me if the OP does so on their first post, or ever posts again. The discussion is for everyone, not simply the OP. Although, I would hope we have enough that stick around, so the pub doesn't go quiet. If they were simply being a troll and stirring the pot, that's a different matter.

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